Who Really Killed Derrick Storm
by Mei2
Summary: A tour of Mode has unforeseen consequences.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Who Really Killed Derrick Storm

Rating: T

Summary: A tour of _Mode_ has unforeseen consequences.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the demented plot. _Ugly Betty _was created by Fernando Gaitan, developed by Silvio Horta and produced by Silent H Productions, Ventanarosa Productions, Reveille Productions, Touchstone Television, ABC Studios, etc. _Castle_ was created by Andrew W. Marlowe and produced by Beacon Pictures, Experimental Pictures and ABC Studios.

Author's Notes:

1) The story is set prior to the season one of _Castle_ and midway through season three of _Ugly Betty_. However, there are significant _Ugly Betty _spoilers right up to the beginning of season four as incidents from past episodes are revealed as part of the tour.

2) Because people may be more familiar with one show and may know very little (if anything) about the other show, I've also decided to list the episodes that are referenced within the chapters in author's notes.

3) I've played a little with other elements of the timelines to suit the story (e.g. Castle's mother has moved in prior to him writing _Storm Fall_).

4) Finally, though no actual murders take place, there is violent imagery courtesy of Castle's mind.

**Who Really Killed Derrick Storm?**

**Chapter 1**

Richard Castle was bored and that was never good.

On the surface, things couldn't be better. He had a successful career, a great kid and was looking forward to the freedom of an impending divorce. Still, things seemed slightly off, and he was slowly beginning to realize what the reason was.

Derrick Storm.

Castle looked over to the stack of printed pages sitting on his desk. It was the manuscript of his latest Storm novel ready to be sent to his publisher. It was a good story. Of that, he had no doubt, but something was different. This time the whole writing process felt like work, and work was rarely fun. As far as he was concerned, if it wasn't fun then what was the point.

His contract stipulated that he produce two books a year which meant he needed to start plotting the next Derrick Storm novel. No rest for the wicked, he thought then sighed, took a sip of coffee and reached for the _New York Ledger_. The daily newspaper had provided the inspiration for many of his stories and, with a little luck, would continue to do so.

Clad in his boxers, t-shirt, robe and the fuzzy slippers his daughter, Alexis, had bought him, Castle sat on the couch and flipped through the paper. Nothing caught his interest until he saw a photo of Daniel Meade handing over a check to a fund set up to benefit the victims of several tornadoes that recently tore through the Midwest.

Hmm, murder at a magazine, he thought. That had potential.

He reached for his iPhone and dialled. "Hey, Daniel. It's Rick."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episode referenced in this chapter is 3.8 "Tornado Girl".


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The first thing Castle noticed when he got off on the 28th floor of the Meade Building was how bright everything was. The whiteness was almost blinding. He approached the reception desk that reminded him of a giant orange glazed donut. A petite blonde with perfectly arched eyebrows smiled seductively. "Welcome to _Mode_. How may I help you?"

"Rick Castle. I'm here to see Daniel Meade."

She looked him up and down then stood, and got out from behind the circular desk. "Please follow me."

"With pleasure," he said.

He couldn't help but grin as she led him through _Mode_'s infamous Tube, a tunnel-like hallway. She had the part of the sexy secretary nailed right down to the walk. He had no problem visualizing her as a femme fatale sashaying into the private detective's office and was pleased that he was already getting ideas even if they were somewhat cliché.

ooOoo

"You want me to give Rick Castle a tour of _Mode_," Betty asked dumbfounded as she clutched the binder she used to organize her boss's schedule.

"I'd do it myself, but as you know, I'm in meetings all day," Daniel said packing his briefcase.

"Richard Castle, the mystery writer," she repeated wanting clarification.

He nodded. "Yeah, we went to school together. Me, Alex, Becks and Rick."

"The four of you?"

Daniel nodded then chuckled. "We wouldn't have gotten away with half the stuff we did if it weren't for him. The guy could talk his way out of almost anything."

"So what would you like me to show him?" Betty asked as she put down the binder and de-linted his suit jacket.

"Everything, and feel free to answer any questions. Full disclosure."

She paused. "Full disclosure? Are you sure?"

Daniel shrugged. "We both know that a good portion of what's in the press about _Mode _is true, and whatever's been left out he's probably learnt from his mother who learnt it from mine."

"Okay," she said with misgivings and put away the lint roller.

"Besides, you're a terrible liar," he teased.

"Hey," she said indignantly.

Daniel leaned on the edge of his desk. "I owe him. When you went on your trip, DJ and I spent a lot of time with him and his daughter. He showed me that maybe I could be a good single father."

"What'd you guys do?" she asked.

"Hung out, played video games and laser tag."

"Oh come on, Daniel," a voice called out. They looked to find Rick Castle in the doorway. "It wasn't just laser tag. It was Voltar and the Omniverse."

"Sounds safer than paintball," Betty commented then noticed the men exchange looks.

"Well, not the way we play it," Castle admitted.

"Yeah, sorry about the statue," Daniel winced.

"Don't worry about it. One less thing for Gina to ask for in the divorce," Castle said dismissively as he walked into the office. "You must be Betty Suarez. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Daniel has told me so much about you."

"Really," she said glancing over to her boss for a moment as she shook his friend's hand. "I've read a lot about you."

"Only 90% of it is true," Castle confided in a pseudo-hushed tone. "So I understand that you'll be giving me the tour of _Mode_."

"I guess I am," she said still rather stunned.

"I told her that you have carte blanche," Daniel said closing his briefcase.

"Really?" Castle asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just change the names to protect the guilty," Daniel said.

"Do you want to go over your schedule one last time?" Betty asked.

"9:00 meeting with Oshi to confirm the designs for the January issue, 10:15 meeting with Cartier to discuss ad space and an 11:30 meeting with Vincent Bianchi to finalize the concept for the Christmas spread," Daniel recited. "Then back here for the editors' meeting at 12:30. Did you order some food? I don't want people passing out because they 'forgot their lunch'."

"Don't worry. Gio promised some figure friendly options," Betty replied. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"No," she shook her head pulling out several coloured folders from the binder. "White's for Oshi, orange's for Cartier and black's for Vincent."

Daniel let out a breath of relief and took the papers. "You're the best."

"I know," she said as he went to his friend.

"Thanks again," Castle said as he shook Daniel's hand.

"No problem. I'm sure there's enough drama here to inspire several novels."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Castle _episode referenced in this chapter is 1.5 "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins". The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 1.2 "The Box and the Bunny", 1.4 "Fey's Sleigh Ride" and 1.14 "I'm Coming Out".


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Umm, I guess we can start," Betty said. "This is an example of an editor-in-chief's office."

"Is it always a corner office?" Castle asked as he looked around the bright, modern décor.

"It is when your magazine is the flagship of the company."

"Probably doesn't hurt when your name's on the building either," he pointed out as he walked to the windows behind the desk.

"True," she admitted. "You can see a bit of Central Park over there. Daniel had a telescope but gave it to DJ when he went back to France."

"Speaking of DJ, how's Daniel doing?"

Betty paused for a moment selecting her words carefully. "He's adjusting."

"Yeah," Castle said softly remembering when his friend had told him the truth. A DNA test confirmed that he wasn't DJ's biological father but rather his recently transgendered sister, Alexis, was. If he had written the situation into one of his books, everyone would have said it was unbelievable.

His mind went back to the telescope she had mentioned, and his eyes scanned the buildings across the way. The setting reminded him vaguely of _Rear Window_. He turned his attention back to the office and noticed how many windows there were.

What about a _Body Double_ opening, he thought as the scene flashed in his head. An office drone working late takes a break and looks out the window. His gaze naturally drifts to an office across the street where he had witnessed the indiscretions of a page-six prince in the past. Only this time, he sees the playboy lying on the white chaise with the metal arm of an architect's lamp stabbed in his chest.

"Mr. Castle?" Betty asked shaking him out of his musings.

"Call me Rick."

"Rick," she smiled bashfully. "I have a few things I need to check before I give you the full tour. You can wait here if you like."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to wait by your desk. After all, you are the gatekeeper and have a great view of the floor."

"Uh, sure. Would you like something to drink?" she asked as he followed her out of the office.

"I'm fine, thanks," he said watching her sit down at her desk and open the white binder labelled "Daniel Meade's Appointments". His eyes widened when he saw the rainbow of post-it notes that covered the pages. "You colour-coded his schedule?"

"It's been really busy lately, and it's the only way to keep things straight."

Noticing her wince slightly as he reached for one of the post-its, he withdrew his hand. "It's quite the system. I see you've even scheduled a power nap from 3:00 to 3:45."

"His meetings will likely go past midnight tonight, and we can't have him falling asleep halfway through them."

Castle picked up the small stuffed pink rabbit with the graduation cap from her desk. It had undergone several serious repairs including a large incision on its green tummy. "Your bunny seems to have had a rough time."

"She's been kidnapped, hung, drowned and eviscerated, but she's tough."

"Is this paint?" he asked scratching the pink splotch with his thumbnail.

"She was also a casualty in the Great Meade Civil War."

He put the toy back down on the desk. "So Daniel and Alexis really did have a paintball war to decide who was in charge of Meade Publications."

"Yeah. Talk about a mess. That window over there?" she said pointing to the large circular glass panel that formed part of Daniel's office wall. "Completely smeared with pink and yellow paint."

The image of the same window splattered with blood popped into Castle's mind.

He turned his attention back to Betty who had just answered the phone. The first time he ever heard of Betty Suarez was from a brief article and photo of her and Daniel at the Front Street Café in Brooklyn Heights after the Sofia Reyes fiasco. Not long after, Becks came to town for Fashion Week, and the three men went out for drinks.

ooOoo

~Two Years Earlier~

"So is that girl I saw you with in the paper last week really your assistant?" Castle asked as their drinks arrived.

"Yup," Daniel confirmed.

"I just met her today," Becks said taking a big gulp of his scotch. "You should see her in technicolor."

"Hey, Betty's a great girl," Daniel said defensively.

"So how was supper?" Castle asked.

"Probably one of the best nights I've had in a long time," he replied.

"Really?" Castle asked raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, stop," Daniel said firmly knowing where his friends' minds were heading. "We just hung out, fooled the paparazzi, had some pizza, crashed a wedding party, scored some free cake and bridesmaids' numbers then went to the Brooklyn Bridge to watch the sunrise. Seriously, I don't know how I would have survived these past months at _Mode_ if it hadn't been for her."

"So you two aren't …"

"No, we're not."

"She have a boyfriend?" Becks asked skeptically.

"Actually she does. Wilbur…no, Walter, but there's this guy Henry from Accounting who's totally into her," Daniel replied.

"Really?" Becks said contemplatively. "Hmph. Maybe there's more to her than meets the eye."

"Yes, there is, and don't even think about going there," Daniel warned.

"Why?" Becks asked. "Just because you're not dating her, doesn't mean I can't."

"Yeah, it does," Daniel scowled.

ooOoo

Since joining Meade Publications, Betty's name had popped up here and there throughout the media. A video of her driving a motorcycle into a pool of jello had gone viral. Most recently she became infamously known as "Tornado Girl" when it was leaked that she was involved in the release of _Mode_'s "Eye of the Fashion Storm" issue which unfortunately coincided with a series of tornadoes that hit Kansas. In actuality, Wilhelmina convinced Daniel to go ahead with the release not realizing that Betty would take the blame. Castle had been impressed when his friend cleared her name and accepted responsibility rather than throw her under the bus. It was an act that he doubted Daniel would have done several years ago.

Castle looked at the young assistant again. There was something rather intriguing about her that not even the veil of thick dark hair and dizzying array of patterns could conceal. Behind her red-rimmed glasses, her warm brown eyes sparkled with intelligence, and her bright smile was only slightly dimmed by a mouthful of blue braces. For some reason, she reminded him of the butterfly often used in explaining Chaos Theory.

"Oh, I think I have a surprise for you," she said as she clicked her mouse a few times.

"I like surprises. What is it?" he asked leaning over to check out her monitor.

With a quick click, she closed the screen and admonished, "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Fine. Just be that way," he said and settled back in his chair then looked around. "You know this colour scheme make me feel like I'm inside a creamsicle."

"You get used to it. A few months ago when Wilhelmina was the sole editor-in-chief, she had all the orange accents replaced with black," Betty confided then shuddered. "You'd think it'd look really chic, but instead everything was just cold on all levels. Metaphorically. Emotionally. Climatically."

"Climatically?"

Betty nodded. "She also had the temperature turned down so it was like a freezer. She felt it would keep everyone sharp."

"And now Daniel and Wilhelmina are co-editors-in-chief, right? How's that working out?"

She paused then said, "Everyone's adjusting."

"Do you think I could meet her?" Castle asked.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Betty said reluctantly, "but I guess we could go by her office on the way to see Amanda."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 3.3 "Crimes of Fashion", 3.4 "Betty Suarez Land", 2.15 "Burning Questions, 2.10 "Bananas for Betty", 1.2 "The Box and the Bunny", 1.13 "In or Out", 1.14 "I'm Coming Out", 3.1 "The Manhattan Project" and 3.8 "Tornado Girl".


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Betty got up from her desk and led Castle toward another desk at the other end of the floor. A tall, slender man with brown curly hair and an ascot came quickly out of an office. For some reason, he reminded Castle of Eustace Tilley from _The New Yorker_.

"Hey Marc," Betty said cheerfully.

"No time!" Marc said in a panicked rush then stopped when he saw Castle. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Rick Castle," she introduced. "Rick, this is Marc St. James."

"The mystery writer?" Marc asked.

"One in the same," Castle said shaking his hand.

"I'm just giving Rick a tour of _Mode_," Betty said.

"I'm thinking of setting a story in the magazine industry," he explained.

Marc sighed wistfully. "Recreational reading. I vaguely recall what that was like."

"I take it you don't have much time to read for fun," Castle inferred.

Marc looked at him like he was insane. "Are you kidding? Being Wilhelmina Slater's executive assistant is the hardest job in this entire company. You are on call twenty-four hours a day seven days a week."

Castle noticed the YETI binder on the desk. "You're in the Young Editors' Training Initiative?"

"As much fun as it is to grovel at Wilhelmina's feet, I prefer to think of it as a stepping stone. YETI is the next step in my master plan," Marc confided.

"Actually, we're both participating in YETI this year," Betty added.

Castle was surprised. "I thought they only accepted one person from a magazine."

"Oh, they still do. I'm representing _Mode_," Marc said vainly then waved his hand dismissively in front of Betty. "She's representing _Player_."

She sighed. "Is there any chance we might be able to speak with Wilhelmina?"

"While I would love to grant an audience with the true creative genius behind _Mode_, now is not a good time. She has a meeting with Fabia in ten minutes," Marc said then froze. "She's here. Go!"

He made shooing motions causing Castle and Betty to back up against the wall then rushed into his boss's office again. Castle made an attempt to move forward but was prevented by Betty. He looked down at the young assistant who quickly shook her head. Understanding her message, he stayed put.

Castle sensed a change in the atmosphere like a sudden storm was about to hit. He heard the staccato click of stiletto heels approaching purposefully toward them. Then he saw her for the first time.

None of the pictures he had seen had done Wilhelmina Slater justice. The African-American model-turned-creative-director-turned-co-editor-in -chief was stunning in a classic white Valentino skirt suit. Her striking grey eyes flashed as she strode past them.

"Marc!" she barked causing Castle to jump slightly.

"Yes, Willie," he said rushing out of her office.

"Is everything ready?" she asked.

"Yes, Willie," he said.

"Good," she said as she walked into her office with Marc following close behind. "Fabia's in the building. Not even the aromatherapy from the steam room can cover that perfume."

"Wow," Castle whispered to Betty.

"Wilhelmina is a force of nature," she whispered back.

"And Fabia?"

"European cosmetics mogul. I guess you could say they're sort of frenemies."

Hmm, poisonous cosmetics, Castle thought, or poison absorbed in a steam room. He was pondering the possibilities when an Italian beauty with an unlikely shade of long blonde hair and an entourage of three men wearing dark suits and turtlenecks swept past.

"Is that?" he asked.

"Fabia," Betty said.

"Was she carrying a Chihuahua?"

"Uh-huh."

"Was it wearing an outfit that matched hers?"

"Uh-huh."

"Did she just drop her gum in Marc's palm?"

"Uh-huh."

"Oh man, I couldn't make this stuff up," Castle said gleefully.

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 3.9 "When Betty Met YETI", 1.23 "East Side Story" and 4.1 "The Butterfly Effect, Part 1".


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Castle and Betty were walking down the hall when he noticed a tall, handsome man heading toward them.

"Is that Connor Owens?" he asked.

"Yes, he's the new chief financial officer," she replied. "Do you know him?"

Castle shook his head. "Only by reputation."

"Looks like you might get your chance to meet him," she said. "Hi, Connor."

"Hello, Betty," the Australian smiled.

"May I introduce Rick Castle," she said.

"I thought I recognized you," Connor said shaking Castle's hand. "Derrick Storm and I have spent many a flight together."

"Something every author loves to hear," he said.

"Doing research for a book?" Connor asked.

Castle nodded. "Already have a couple of ideas."

"Well you couldn't have a better guide than Betty," Connor said smiling down at the young assistant.

"So I understand," Castle said.

"Betty, could you do me a favour and take this down to Accounting?" Connor asked.

"Certainly," she replied taking the envelope from him.

"Thanks," he said. "I'm off to see Wilhelmina."

"She's in with Fabia," Betty said.

"Is it true their meetings tend to be explosive?" he asked.

"They can be," she admitted.

"Then I better hurry if I don't want to miss the fireworks," Connor grinned. "Castle, good to meet you."

"Likewise," he nodded and watched the man go. "How long has he been CFO?"

"Not long," Betty said as they turned and entered a side tunnel that linked to the main Tube. "Mrs. Meade suggested that Daniel and Wilhelmina hire a CFO to handle the business side of the company."

"Was there any concern about hiring an outsider to help run the family company?"

"Connor and Daniel went to Harvard together."

Castle smiled. "So Daniel tried to pull one over on Wilhelmina by placing a friend as the CFO."

"Yeah," Betty admitted, "though it didn't go quite like he had planned. After all three bumped heads over some business decisions, Connor made it clear to both that he was, and I quote, 'nobody's bitch' and would do what he thought was best for the company."

They walked back to reception, and Betty approached the blonde who had escorted Castle to Daniel's office earlier.

"Amanda, I need you to cover my phones while I give Rick a tour of _Mode_," Betty said.

"Okay, but in exchange for this favour, I need one."

"Amanda," Betty sighed.

The receptionist flicked a glance toward Castle then said in hushed tones, "I was able to get an extra shift at the place that shall not be named, but I need someone to walk Halston."

"Okay, I'll walk Halston," Betty said.

"Thanks, roomie! You'll also have to give him his medication. The rubber gloves are under the kitchen sink," Amanda said quickly.

"Now wait a minute," Betty started, but the receptionist received a phone call.

"_Mode Magazine_, how may I direct your call?" Amanda asked with a smile and a quick wave toward Betty.

The young assistant turned back toward Castle and sighed again. "I'm a marshmallow."

"You are awfully sweet," he teased. "I take it Halston's her dog?"

Betty nodded. "A Chinese-crested dog that's on more medication than my dad. She inherited him from her birth mother, Fey Sommers."

"The editor-in-chief before Daniel and his father's mistress," Castle said.

"Mm-hmm."

"Wait, was that the Amanda that helped you write that web article "How I Blew Ten Grand Without Actually Spending a Dime"?"

"You read that?" Betty asked surprised.

"It was a good article," he said. "Sounded like you had quite the adventure."

"Well, life with Amanda is rarely dull," Betty commented.

As they headed toward the next stop on the tour, another story idea popped into his brain. A fashionista receptionist is found dead at her desk, and her roommate, an executive assistant, tries to find out who murdered her.

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 3.6 "Ugly Berry", 3.7 "Crush'd" and 3.10 "Bad Amanda" (the "place that shall not be named" is a fast-food restaurant where Amanda has a second job).


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Wow. This would be my ex-wives' vision of Nirvana," Castle said as he entered the large room that was like a high end boutique specializing in the best of everything.

"This is the Closet," Betty said gesturing broadly. "Everything that's used in a photo shoot for _Mode_ is stored here including clothes, shoes and accessories, and this is the person in charge of it all. Rick Castle, may I introduce Christina McKinney, famous designer and my best friend."

The stylishly-dressed blonde Scotswoman scoffed. "I'm not famous."

"You were one of _Mode_'s 10 designers to watch two years ago," Betty said.

"And look where it got me," she replied rubbing her pregnant belly.

"You're Wilhelmina Slater's surrogate," Castle said remembering a news item about her being pushed down a flight of stairs after a _Mode_ party a few weeks earlier. "Sort of like _The Devil Wears Prada_ meets _Rosemary's Baby_."

"Pretty much," Christina replied ruefully then turned her attention to her friend. "Don't forget I'll be cleaning the Closet next week."

"Cleaning the Closet?" Castle asked.

"Four times a year everything that's stored in the Closet is cleaned out to make room for the next season's items," Betty explained.

"So what happens to the previous season's stuff?" he asked.

"Christina posts a sign-up sheet. First come, first serve," she said.

"It's like Black Friday four times a year," the designer added with a shudder. "Now, I've been told not to play favourites, but if you just happen to be passing by, say around 9:15 Monday morning when I may be posting the sheet, and you happen to be carrying a pen. Well, the world's full of coincidence."

"Christina," Betty said in a gently admonishing tone.

"Why should the sticks with heads get all the good stuff, hmm? I happen to know that those Jimmy Choos from last month's issue are in your size."

"Christina," Betty sighed rolling her eyes.

The blonde turned to Castle. "Now if I can just get her to wear them without socks."

"My feet get cold," the young assistant explained weakly.

Christina smiled then winced. "Oh. The wee one's decided to play football with my bladder. If you'll excuse me."

As she left, she put the camel-brown fedora she had been holding on her friend's head. Betty tilted it at a rakish angle then asked, "Do I look like a lady detective?"

"A regular female Derrick Storm," Castle laughed. "So what was your first swag?"

"The 'It' Gucci bag from two years ago."

"Do you still use it?"

Betty's bright expression dimmed. "No. See, my dad has a heart condition, and the HMO wouldn't pay for more medication so I made a deal with the pharmacist. The bag for 15 refills."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry," Castle apologized contritely.

"That's okay," she shrugged. "In fact, that's not the end of the story. I was going through a rough patch with my boyfriend at the time. He saw me make the exchange at the drug store and gave me a knock-off version of the bag as a present."

"You brought a knock-off here to _Mode_?" Castle asked surprised by the risky move.

"Here's where things get a bit complicated. Fashion is currency here so I made a deal with Marc. I exchanged the bag for a knock-off from around the corner and a huge favour to be named later."

He was stunned by her audacity. "So you traded a knock-off for another knock-off, and no one knew?"

Betty smiled mischievously. "It even took Christina a couple of months before she realized it was a fake."

"I gotta say nicely played, Ms. Suarez."

"Thank you."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes reference in this chapter are 3.3 "Crimes of Fashion" and 1.11 (a.k.a. 1.4) "Swag".


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Betty's eyes flitted around the room. "Before I take you to the next stop on the tour, you have to promise me that if you use it in a story you'll have it coming off of a supply room, photo studio, heck even a sub-basement. Anything but the Closet or executive office."

Intrigued, Castle said, "You have my word."

He followed her to the far wall of the Closet which was lined with shelves upon shelves of shoes. Some of the heels were as sharp as knife points. Hmm, he thought as the image came to him, a body stabbed by a stiletto shoe.

Betty checked one more time that the coast was clear then went to the middle of the wall, stepped on the bottom shelf and reached up to the hook on the left. When she pulled down on the hook, the middle unit moved inward to reveal a hidden passage.

She motioned for him to follow her, and they slipped behind the shelving unit then descended a short staircase. The room reminded him of the attic of a bordello. The clutter included antique lamps, statues and an ornate mirror. The far end of the room was dominated by a mural of several Andy Warhol-styled portraits of the longest serving editor-in-chief in _Mode _history looking down at the large four-post bed complete with drapes and animal print covers.

"Is this?"

Betty nodded.

Castle whistled. "I thought Fey Sommers' Love Dungeon was a myth."

"I think Daniel and his mom still believe it is just a myth."

"Don't worry. When I use it, I promise I won't put in anything that could lead them here," he said giving her a smile before turning his attention back to the room. He noticed the large red safe against one wall, and a scene sprung instantly in his mind. A person clad in black approached the safe having just killed the victim who is lying bloody on the bed. Castle spotted a mannequin wearing a leather hood. "Hmph. Never would have thought Bradford Meade would have been into that."

"The most radical I could imagine him in was island casual," Betty said.

Castle looked at the bed again. "I always wondered why Daniel's mom never divorced him knowing that he had had a 20-year affair."

"I believe it was because they were soul mates, and she'd rather be miserable with him than miserable without him," Betty sighed with wistful sadness. "When he had the heart attack while marrying Wilhelmina, Mrs. Meade was about to go to Italy having escaped prison for murdering Fey. She couldn't leave before making sure that Daniel and Alexis were taken care of in the will and ultimately risked going back to jail in order to see him one last time. She told me that they reconciled just before he died."

Castle smiled. "Back in boarding school, Daniel and I used to compare moms. You know, which was crazier?"

"So who won?"

"It always seemed to come out in a tie. They were both a special kind of crazy."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 1.19 "Punch Out", 1.22 "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" and 2.8 "I See Me, I.C.U.".


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

They were on their way to Accounting when they heard a voice call out.

"Richard! Daniel mentioned you'd be by."

An older, fashionably dressed blonde came to them and gave Castle a quick hug.

"Mrs. Meade, acquittal looks good on you," he replied with a grin.

"Thank you. It's all because of Betty," Claire said putting her arm around the young assistant's shoulders and squeezed.

"Mrs. Meade," she blushed lightly.

"If you hadn't burst into the courtroom with that evidence, I'd still be in jail."

"That was you?" Castle asked her clearly impressed causing the pink in her cheeks to deepen. "My mother said that was an entrance worthy of her, and that's saying something."

"Feel free to use anything from the trial in a book," Claire said, "or better yet, make it into a play. Your mother could be me."

"Oh, Jamie Bamber could be Daniel," Betty suggested.

"Hmm, I wonder if Tricia Helfer would consider portraying Alexis," Claire mused. "She did a _Mode _spread a few years ago. Lovely girl."

"I don't know if the theater is ready for a project like that," Castle commented then turned to Betty. "You think Daniel, Becks and I were bad? Our exploits are nothing compared to those of Claire Meade and Martha Rodgers."

Claire laughed. "Now don't exaggerate."

"I remember a certain road trip that ended up in a Mexican brothel."

The older woman shrugged. "Your mother wanted some tequila. Speaking of your mother, is that sorry excuse of a husband still around? What number was he?"

Castle grimaced. "I gave up keeping track, but, no, he's finally out of the picture."

"Well, should she wish to make it a bit more permanent, let me know. My circle of acquaintances has grown since my time in prison," Claire said.

"Mrs. Meade," Betty said shocked.

"Thank you for the offer, but I don't think she cares enough about him to take that step," Castle said, but it did give him some ideas. High society matron brokers for a hit squad or maybe a cross between _Strangers on a Train_ and _The First Wives' Club_.

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 2.12 "Odor in the Court" and 1.15 "Brothers"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Kenny spun in his chair and surveyed his domain. In his humble opinion, he had the best cubicle in the Accounting Department. He was surrounded by awesome automobiles, magalicious motorcycles and buxom babes in bikinis. Mere samples of what awaited him once his music career finally took off.

Who knew it would be so hard to break into the industry? To be honest, he thought he'd have left Meade by now. His main bud, Henry, had left for Arizona to raise his son with his baby mama. The guy Henry hated ditched his sandwich cart and opened up his own deli. Heck, even Alexis Meade had left the company (under less than auspicious circumstances according to the bathroom gossip).

Well at least there was one other person who was still stuck at Meade he thought as he spotted a familiar figure in a cacophony of colour flit by.

ooOoo

Castle followed Betty as they went to drop off Connor's envelope in Accounting. It was your typical cubicle farm filled with people rarely associated with the glamorous world of magazine publishing. They were almost through the maze of grey dividers and onto the next stop of the tour when a voice called out "Yo, B-licious!"

Betty froze. Castle watched as her entire body tensed up then she took a deep breath of resignation and turned to a young, slender Asian man. "Hey, Kenny."

"Long time, no see."

"I suppose so."

"Guess what! Me and my band just finished cutting our album," Kenny said and turned to grab something from his desk. "Hot off the presses! Here, have one. It's even autographed. When I'm famous, you can tell people you knew me back when."

"Thanks," Betty said as she took the CD.

"We're shooting a video next week and uploading it to YouTube," he said. "So you've been all avoidy since my boy Henry went back to Tucson."

Kenny's pronunciation was like 'tux-son' rather than 'two-sahn' causing Castle to blink. To his further surprise, he saw the normally cheerful young woman practically scowl.

"I have not been all avoidy, and it's Tuscon," Betty said with prim annoyance and correct pronunciation.

"It's spelled like Tucson. It should be pronounced like Tucson," Kenny insisted.

As the two co-workers argued phonetics, another story idea came to Castle. An accountant with dreams of making it big stumbles across some irregularities in the company's books. Instead of reporting it to the authorities, he tries to blackmail the culprit and gets killed for his trouble. Castle looked at Kenny's cubicle and visualized a corpse spinning slowly in the swivel chair having been strangled with the cord from his own headphones.

"Who's the boy toy?" Kenny asked.

Castle watched Betty take another deep breath as though she was contemplating giving a demonstration of her garrotting capabilities. "This is Rick Castle."

"The mystery writer? Awesome!" Kenny said shaking his hand. "Do you really get as much action as they say?"

Mindful of Betty's gaze, Castle replied, "I get my fair share."

"And then some," Kenny said grabbing another disc from his desk. "Here, have a CD."

"Ah, thanks," Castle said.

"We better get going," Betty said.

"Later, B-Money, R.C.," Kenny said.

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 2.4 "Grin and Bear It", 2.5 "A League of Their Own", 2.6 "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and 3.4 "Betty Suarez Land".


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

As they left, Castle asked, "So is Kenny right? Have you been avoiding Accounting since Henry returned to Tucson after you turned down his marriage proposal?"

"I haven't been intentionally avoiding Accounting. I've just been busy," Betty replied then abruptly stopped in the middle of the hallway. "Wait a minute, how did you know I turned down Henry's proposal? Wait, how did you know he proposed?"

"Uh, Daniel may have mentioned that you turned down Henry's proposal and Gio's trip to Rome," Castle said as he continued toward the elevators. In fact, when his friend wasn't talking about DJ, he would talk about his assistant whose life was like a telenovela.

"What? Why would he tell you about Henry and Gio?" Betty asked trying to catch up to his longer strides.

"I think it just came up when he told me about your trip to the Grand Canyon and California," Castle shrugged remembering the postcards Daniel had shown him.

"But why - "

"So when you got back from your trip, you ended up at _Player_?" he asked as he pushed the elevator call button.

"Uh, yeah," she said slightly thrown by the change in topic. "Around the time I left for my trip, Alexis made Wilhelmina editor-in-chief of _Mode_ and transferred Daniel to _Player_. When I got back, I was transferred too."

_Player_ was the premiere men's magazine at Meade and was the third bestselling no-nudity magazine in the country. As they got on the elevator, Castle commented. "I can see Daniel at _Player_, but it doesn't seem like a good fit for you."

Betty made a face. "It wasn't. I tried, but every idea I came up with morphed into some kind of exploitative version. For example, my idea for America's top female attorneys became America's hottest lawyers."

"Oh hey, I have that issue," Castle said then caught the look she gave him. "And that would have been a very interesting article. As the father of a teenage girl, I can appreciate your desire to show women in a more professional light."

"Thanks," she smiled, "and to be honest, I don't think _Player_ was a very good fit for Daniel either despite what his past indiscretions may suggest."

"So how'd you end up back at _Mode_?"

"Wilhelmina offered to hire me as an assistant."

Castle was momentarily stunned. "Wow. Talk about filing with the enemy. How'd Daniel take it?"

"Not well," Betty confessed as they left the elevator, "but strangely enough it helped him get his job back at _Mode_."

"Out of curiosity, would it be possible to get a tour of _Player_ as well?" Castle asked. "You know, as a contrast to _Mode_."

"I'll see what I can do."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 3.1 "The Manhattan Project" and 3.2 "Filing with the Enemy"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"This floor has several studios that are used for some of the photography printed in the magazines," Betty explained as they walked down the hall. "Sometimes larger studios or locations shoots are required, but whenever possible the editors-in-chief are encouraged to keep it in-house."

Castle could hear the rock music before Betty opened the door.

"Today they're doing a shoot for an upcoming issue of _Player_," she said as they entered the studio.

Castle chuckled as he saw the concept for the shoot. "Something tells me that a least one picture will end up in Kenny's cubicle."

"Well, it does combine two of his favourite things," she said. "Though I can't image it would be very comfortable riding a motorcycle while wearing a bikini."

Castle watched the photographer take some pictures then urge the models to try some other poses. He recognized the voice immediately. "Hey, that's –"

"Surprise!" Betty smiled.

Back in boarding school, Castle and his friends had formed something of a pack, each with a different role. Alex Meade was the golden one and heir apparent who was the best at everything he did. Daniel was the cad, the wealthy second son who revelled in his tarnished reputation. Castle considered himself to be the rogue who could charm his way both into and out of anything. Becks was the quintessential bad boy who could get into more trouble than the other three put together.

The photographer turned at the sound of their voices and grinned. "Everyone take five."

As the models dispersed, Becks walked over to the newcomers. "Ricky! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Getting a tour of Meade," he said shaking his friend's hand.

"By the bodacious Betty no less," Becks added.

Castle watched as the other man stepped well within her personal space. It was a move that would fluster most women, but to his surprise, the young assistant stood her ground and merely looked up at him.

Becks loomed over her and, in a low, suggestive tone, asked, "So Betty, when are you going to go out with me?"

"When you win the Pulitzer Prize in Photography," she said cheekily.

"Feature or breaking news?" Castle laughed.

"Either," she shrugged.

"It's gonna happen," Becks said.

"Of that, I have no doubt," she said then took a step away and pulled out her cellphone, "but until then I'll let you two catch up while I try to arrange a quick tour of _Player_."

She walked to the other end of the room leaving the men alone. Castle caught the affectionate smile still on his friend's face. "You like her."

"What?" he asked puzzled.

In a sing-song voice, Castle teased, "You really like her. You want to date her. You want to hug her. You want to kiss her."

"Do not!" Becks protested.

"You are totally crushing on this girl," Castle said gleefully. "Oh, story. Supermodel found dead in the studio. The playboy photographer is the prime suspect. Only the lowly assistant believes he's innocent."

"C'mon," he said rolling his eyes.

"What? Want to be the hero?" Castle asked switching gears. "Fine. Story. Evil editor-in-chief found murdered in her office. The often abused assistant's the prime suspect. Only the playboy photographer believes she's innocent and can see the beauty that lies beneath."

"Stop it!"

"Hey, you know how my novels go. At least the fictional you will get some action."

Becks punched him hard in the arm. "Cut it out!"

"Everything okay?" Betty asked warily as she returned.

"Yeah," Castle replied rubbing his bicep. "We were just discussing the Butterfly Effect."

"Chaos Theory?"

Becks nodded. "For example, he says something annoying causing me to hit him."

"Actually that sounds more like Newtonian physics," Betty commented. When the men gave her a confused look, she explained, "You know, every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

"Oh, I like you," Castle said approvingly.

ooOoo

Author notes: Just a bit of trivia, Bailey Chase played Beckett 'Becks' Scott on _Ugly Betty_ and Agent Will Sorenson on _Castle_.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Player_ was the polar opposite of _Mode_. The cool, sleek white and orange décor was replaced with brown and reds. It was a more open floor concept with an air hockey table, foosball table, small basketball hoop, several flat screen TVs showing women from the magazine and photography equipment scattered about the place. The conference area was a cluttered coffee table surrounded by red retro-style furniture. Scantily clad women mingled with men dressed in jeans, sports jerseys and untucked shirts. The casual feeling made the place seem like a clubhouse for the magazine's demographic, 18-39 year old male idiots with a preference for sophomoric humour and hot chicks.

Occasionally, Castle heard "boos" or "barks" from the group depending on the situation and caught Betty's body language. She'd stiffen, take a deep breath, set her jaw and valiantly try to continue with her task. In exchange for a brief tour by the creative director, a rotund man with receding curly brown hair, a beard and moustache, she had agreed to help with some administrative guidance.

"Thanks for the tour," Castle said.

"No problem," Uno replied hands shoved into his jeans pockets. "It's a small price to pay to have Betty help with the filing system. The kid tries, but she's better at filing her nails."

The "kid" in question was a perky but ditzy blonde named Ginger. She was wearing a tube dress that showcased her assets and gold hoop earrings. Castle watched Ginger look at Betty with almost wide-eyed awe as she tried to understand what the other assistant was patiently explaining.

"So what was it like when Betty worked here?" Castle asked.

"Well, I think a lot of people were intimidated by her," Uno confessed.

"Really?" Castle asked surprised. Betty was easily the shortest person in the room.

"Daniel was always going on about how good she was, and it may have caused some jealousies before she even arrived," Uno explained. "Thing is, he was right. Her motorcycle stunt went viral and tripled the number of hits on our website. The next issue became the bestselling in the magazine's history."

"So what happened when she left?"

Uno let out a low whistle. "I've never seen Daniel as angry as he was the day she went back to _Mode_. You could hear the fight all over the floor. It was like listening to your parents arguing."

Daniel was a fairly even-tempered kind of a guy but could lash out pretty viciously if mad, particularly if he felt betrayed. A dark scene unfolded in Castle's mind. A young woman with a job in a less than friendly workplace suddenly feels as though she's being stalked. She turns to a person she trusts, but has her trust been misplaced?

"I should have seen it coming when Daniel traded the track suits for button-down shirts," Uno continued. "A few days after she had left, she came back carrying two big mail bags like she was Santa's Little Helper. They were full of positive letters from _Mode _readers. Next thing we know, Daniel's back on the 28th floor."

As they watched Betty put a reassuring hand on Ginger's shoulder as the blonde flashed her a grateful smile, Castle wrote down a phone number on a piece of paper and passed it to Uno. "Call my agent. She'll figure something out."

"Figure what out?" Betty asked as she came over to them.

"An interview," Uno grinned. "Oh, I even got the concept. Derrick Storm has a different babe in each novel so we duplicate a scene from some of your books with you as Derrick Storm and one of the _Player _girls as your femme fatale. The hotter the better."

"We better go and let you get back to work," she said as a football flew by.

As Castle and Betty headed toward the elevators, he asked, "So what would your concept be?"

Betty tilted her head. "If it were for a _Mode_ shoot, I'd suggest perhaps reproducing scenes from classic film noire movies with you as the detective and the models wearing vintage period haute couture."

Castle could visualize both concepts. One appealed to his ego while the other appealed to his sense of romance and the theatrical. It was a tough choice.

"Where to next?" Castle asked.

Betty thought for a moment. "Well, there's only one other place that might be of interest."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 3.1 "The Manhattan Project" and 3.2 "Filing with the Enemy".


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Holy –"

"I know," Betty said as they descended the short metal staircase to the building's gravel-covered roof and followed the ventilation ducts.

It was a graveyard of mannequins. Some were still wrapped in plastic with the "Fragile" labels still on, but most were dismembered with limbs strewn all over. It was like Neimen Marcus meets the train yard scene in _I, Robot_.

"How did you find this place?" Castle asked as he tiptoed around various arms and legs lying on the roof.

"About a year and half ago, my dad was deported to Mexico. It was just before Wilhelmina and Mr. Meade's wedding," she began as the breeze ruffled her hair. "Long story short, Wilhelmina found out that I found out that she was having an affair with her bodyguard. She invited me up to the roof to talk."

"She couldn't find a creepier place to meet?" he asked.

"I don't think she knew about the love dungeon yet," Betty said with a small smile. "Anyway, if I didn't say anything about the affair to the Meades, Wilhelmina would ask her dad, the senator, to help with my dad's case. Papi was back home by the end of the week."

Having heard how close she was to her family, Castle wasn't too surprised by her choice. It was likely the only thing that might cause her to betray Daniel's trust. He also knew that Betty did end up confirming his friend's suspicions though it resulted in her dismissal. Once he found out the reason for her actions, Daniel immediately asked her to come back to _Mode_, but she declined. Fortunately for everyone, she reconsidered and returned.

Castle looked down and saw a baseball bat and a mannequin's cracked head then noticed similar damage to other dummies. His imagination instantly created a scene. A young woman receives a note from her boyfriend to meet him on the roof. Expecting some kind of romantic gesture, she instead stumbles upon the body of his ex-girlfriend partially wrapped in plastic with her head bashed in.

Castle was so caught up with vivid imagery that he practically jumped when two pigeons took off from the roof and flew away. His reaction startled Betty who was caught up in her own memories. They looked at each other then laughed.

"What do you say we get outta here?" Castle suggested.

"Yes, please," Betty said.

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episode referenced in this chapter is 2.2 "Family/Affair".


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

They concluded the tour in the _Mode_ cafeteria. The orange and white theme continued, but the cool blue lighting made Castle feel like he was in a creamsicle in a freezer. After grabbing some coffee and something to eat, he selected a table in the middle of the room. More than one head turned towards them with hints of envy. Castle was accustomed to the attention though if he were to be honest with himself he wasn't sure if it was his fame or the pastry that Betty was eating.

"So tell me about your family," he said.

"You mean Daniel hasn't told you all about them?" she asked.

"Just the broad strokes," he replied. "I'd love to know more."

Betty sighed at his puppy dog look and gave up. "What would you like to know?"

"Why don't you tell me about your nephew?"

"Justin's a great kid," she smiled. "He wants to be an actor."

"Theater, film or television?"

"I think his heart lies in musical theater. He's even auditioned for a part in _Billy Elliot_. You should see his playbill collection."

An aspiring actor stays after an off-Broadway performance in hopes of getting the star's autograph but instead finds the body of an understudy bludgeoned by a sandbag, Castle thought. "What's his most prized playbill?"

"He had a _Gypsy_ autographed by Ethel Merman."

Castle let out a low whistle. Having grown up surrounded by the theater, he knew how valuable that collectible was. "Had?"

"He sold it and used the money to help buy a professional hair dryer chair so Hilda could open her own salon in the back of the house."

Castle recalled from Daniel that Hilda was her older sister, a single mother who got pregnant at prom. "An underground salon?"

"At first," Betty admitted. "Then she got busted by a borough councilman for not having a business license after she gave him a haircut."

"Ouch," Castle said as a scene popped in his mind. The detective goes to see the prime suspect's ex-girlfriend who's running an underground salon. He ends up getting some information and a haircut for twice the price. "So what happened to the salon?"

"I think Archie, that's the councilman, felt bad closing down Hilda's business so he suggested that she sell some candles and stuff. That way she can say that it's a boutique instead of a salon, and now they're dating," she said taking another bite of her pastry. "Hilda's Beautilities Plus will have its grand opening next week complete with a ton of hors d'oeuvres made by my dad."

"Ah yes, your dad's cooking. Daniel said something about it being his passion."

"Definitely," she agreed. "His coffee cake is famous throughout the neighbourhood, and his chicken mole is to die for."

Castle's mind conjured up the scene of an older man entering a restaurant's kitchen. As the rotisseur, he arrives early to prepare all the things that need to be roasted, broiled, grilled or fried. After putting his apron on, he heads to the meat locker only to find the chef's dead body hanging from two meat hooks.

Oh, gotta remember that one, Castle thought then turned his attention back to his companion. "So what about you? Any boyfriends?"

Betty's eyebrows disappeared behind her heavy bangs then she shook her head. "No. As you know, last year things got complicated so this year I've decided on no romantic entanglements. It's number three on my list."

"What are numbers one and two?"

"Ask for more responsibility at work and move into the city. Like Mrs. Meade once told me. I've got to take some risks if I want to achieve my goals," she said. "So do you think you have enough material for a story?"

"Actually, I have enough ideas for several stories," he replied. "Thing is, I'm just not sure they're right for a Derrick Storm story."

"Does it have to be a Derrick Storm story?" Betty asked innocently.

Castle blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Don't get me wrong. I think that the Derrick Storm novels are great, but _A Rose Everafter_ is my favourite of your books," she said with a small shrug.

"Well, no matter what I end up doing with the material I've gathered, I want to thank you for a very interesting morning," he smiled.

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes referenced in this chapter are 2.9 "When Betty Met YETI", 2.6 "Something Wicked This Way Comes", 3.8 "Tornado Girl", 3.11 "Dress for Success" and 3.1 "The Manhattan Project".


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Castle turned the doorknob and entered his loft. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen. One made him grin happily while the other made him cringe slightly. He had traded the craziness of his soon-to-be ex-wife for the craziness of his mother who recently moved in after her most recent ex-husband made off with her savings. As Betty might say, everyone was adjusting.

"Honey, I'm home," Castle called out as he dropped his coat on the couch.

"Hey, Dad!" Alexis smiled as she set the table.

"Hey, Kiddo," Martha said with a glass of wine in her hand. He could only hope that she hadn't selected one of the more expensive bottles in his collection. "I thought you'd be home hours ago."

"I went for lunch at a restaurant frequented by magazine execs," he said eying the salad on the counter and smelling the leftover lasagne reheating in the oven. "It's amazing how much people will say in a public place when they don't think anyone else is listening. After that, I went to the library to do some research."

"So how was the tour of _Mode_?" Martha asked.

"Good. Got some story ideas. I'm just not sure if they fit in a Derrick Storm novel," Castle replied. "By the way, Claire says hi, congratulates you on your current marital status and implied that if you want him whacked, she might be able to help."

"Oh, isn't that sweet," she said. "We really should do lunch."

"So what's Betty like?" asked Alexis who had formed her own impression of the executive assistant from the media and her web articles as well as from Daniel and DJ's descriptions, but she wanted her father's opinion.

"She's a very nice and intelligent person. You'd like her," he said confirming her suspicions. "In fact, I think Becks has a little crush."

"Really?" Alexis said wrinkling her nose thinking that her father's womanizing friend wouldn't make a good match for her vision of Betty.

"Hmm, I always got the feeling that Claire wouldn't mind if Betty and Daniel's relationship were to evolve. That young woman seems to be the most stable influence in his life," Martha commented then sipped her wine. "So what about you?"

"What about me?" Castle asked confused.

"Did you fall under Betty's spell, too?" Martha asked.

"No," he scoffed pouring himself a glass of wine.

She wasn't fooled. "But …"

Seeing both his mother and daughter looking at him expectantly, he shrugged. "Betty may have said something that got me thinking. Ah, never mind. What's for dessert?"

ooOoo

Except Castle couldn't stop thinking about the simple comment Betty made. She had inadvertently planted the tiniest of seeds in his brain, and it was steadily growing.

For him, one of the most creative times of the day was just before he fell asleep. His mind would drift trying to work out whatever plot points were giving him problems. Tonight was no different. All the story ideas he had come up with on the tour tumbled around in his brain. He visualized each scenario using the people he had met as stand-ins for the characters. More often than not, the narrative of his dreams circled back to Betty usually as investigator but occasionally as victim. While entertaining, it also confirmed what he had feared. He could not figure out a way to fit in Derrick Storm.

ooOoo


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Castle heard his daughter's footsteps coming down the stairs just as he finished the first batch of blueberry pancakes.

"Wow, a hot breakfast on a school day?" Alexis asked as she came up to the counter that bordered the kitchen. Usually she just had some cereal and fruit.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," he said and placed a plate in front of her along with a glass of orange juice.

She reached for the syrup. "You're up early."

He shrugged. "Woke up, and couldn't get back to sleep."

She shot him a concerned look, "Writer's block?"

He shook his head. "If anything, I've got too many ideas. Don't worry. It'll all sort out. It always does."

"And if not, you can always get a job as a short order cook," she grinned already part way through her pancakes.

"Hmm, I could tap into my inner Iron Chef," he said as he removed another batch from the pan.

They heard a shout from above and suddenly the force of nature known as Martha Rodgers came racing down the stairs her silk dressing gown flapping behind her like a cape.

"Eloise Gunderson fractured her hip last night, and guess who will be replacing her for at least the next six to eight weeks," she exclaimed holding her cellphone up in victory. She was the understudy for one of the aunts in an off-Broadway production of _Arsenic and Old Lace_, and after constantly being on-call, she finally had her chance to get back in the spotlight.

"That's wonderful, Gram," Alexis gushed and hugged her.

"Congratulations, Mother," Castle smiled then handed her a plate. "Have some celebratory pancakes."

"What's all this?" Martha asked noticing the small mess in the kitchen.

"He woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep," Alexis replied as she finished her breakfast and put her dishes in the sink.

"Uh-oh, writer's block?" Martha asked as she put her plate on the counter.

"No!" Castle said in exasperation. "I'm just sorting through all the ideas I came up with yesterday."

Martha raised her hands in a calming manner and went to get some coffee. "Far be it for me to comment on another artist's creative process."

Hasn't stopped you before, Castle thought then turned his attention back to the next batch of pancakes.

ooOoo

"Alright, what's going on?"

Castle shook himself from his musings and turned his attention to his mother who was in the entrance to his home office. "What do you mean?"

Martha rolled her eyes as she put her jacket and purse on the seat of the leather chair and sat on its arm. "C'mon, Kiddo. I know you, and I know how you work. Normally you'd be getting all those ideas down then spin them about until you got the kernel for your next story. Instead, you're here staring into space."

"I'm just thinking about something Betty said."

"So you did fall under her spell," Martha smiled. "What did she say?"

"She asked me if my next story had to be a Derrick Storm novel."

The simple comment made Martha blink. It was the creation of Derrick Storm that solidified his reputation. After so many bestselling novels, it was a natural assumption that his next work would continue the series. "Are you thinking of writing a stand alone story?"

"Actually, I'm thinking of something a bit more big picture," Castle confessed. "But it'd be one hell of a gamble, and I don't know if it'd be worth the risk."

"Well, I can't tell you what to write about next. Only you can decide that," Martha said. "But I can tell you that a little risk makes life worth living. Where would you be if you hadn't submitted that story to the school's literary magazine when you were at Edgewick Academy? Where would you be if you hadn't sent _In a Hail of Bullets_ to Black Pawn Publishing back in college? Now granted not all gambles work out, but, heaven help me, if you hadn't taken a chance with Meredith, you wouldn't have Alexis today."

As unconventional as his childhood was, the thing Castle admired most about his mother was her joie de vivre. She faced life with a fearlessness that would intimidate people half her age. At times, like now, it also provided a certain amount of clarity to a situation.

With a mischievous grin, he got up from his chair, quickly skirted his desk and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Mother."

"Where are you going?" she asked puzzled as he continued toward the living room.

"Out for a walk," he declared as he checked for his keys and wallet then grabbed his jacket. "I just need a bit more time to think before taking the biggest risk of my career."

Martha watched as he headed out the door then shook her head. "Sometimes I just don't understand that boy."

ooOoo


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

There was an envelope on Betty's desk when she and Daniel returned from a meeting. She opened it and discovered four tickets and a note. "Wow!"

"What is it?" Daniel asked.

"It's a thank you note from Rick Castle and tickets for me and my family to see _Arsenic and Old Lace_."

"It's a good show. Mom and I went to it on Tuesday. His mom's playing one of the aunts while the main actress is recovering from hip surgery," Daniel said. "Though I should warn you that Justin may spend the next few weeks racing up the staircase, yelling 'Charge!' then slamming his bedroom door."

ooOoo

"This is incredible!" Justin gushed holding a boutique of flowers as they entered the theater. He had been to plays before but never to one where he was three degrees of separation from one of the stars.

"Betty!" A voice called out. "Over here!"

She turned to find Rick Castle off to the side of the lobby. With him was a young redhead she assumed was his daughter, Alexis.

"Rick, hi!" Betty said as they walked over to the duo. She made the introductions.

"Thank you so much for the tickets," Hilda said shaking his hand.

"It's the first time all four of us were at the theater together," Ignacio added also shaking Castle's hand.

"It's my pleasure. When Betty told me about the Merman, I figured this would be the best thank you," Castle said then turned to Justin and the flowers. "And those are for?"

"Your mother," he replied shyly.

"She'll love them," Castle assured the young man. "Why don't I have them sent to her dressing room? That way you won't have to hold them throughout the performance."

As Castle took the flowers and went to find a crew member, Alexis said to Betty, "I really liked your article "How I Blew Ten Grand Without Actually Spending a Dime"."

"Thank you," she said. "Just promise me to be careful if you ever decide to try anything we did."

"I will," Alexis promised.

"Don't worry. She's the responsible one in the family," Castle said as he rejoined the group. "Speaking of family, my mother has invited us to meet her backstage after the show."

"This just keeps getting better and better!" Justin beamed.

ooOoo

After the show, Castle and Alexis led the Suarez family backstage to the dressing rooms. Justin's head was in constant motion as he tried to take in everything. By the time they reached her dressing room, Martha had already changed out of her costume and into an emerald green blouse, black pants and a funky necklace.

Once the introductions were made and Martha thanked them for the flowers, she turned her attention to Justin. "And you must be the young thespian. Tell me, if you could only perform in one type of medium, which would it be?"

"Well, I consider myself to be a triple threat: actor, singer, dancer, so I wouldn't want to restrict myself. But if I could only choose one, it'd be theater," he said with a firm nod. "Definitely theater."

"And why is that?" she asked.

"I think it's the performing in front of an audience and making that connection, you know?" he answered earnestly. "You have to live in the moment."

Martha regarded him for a few seconds then said, "Everyone come with me."

"Where are we going?" Betty whispered as they followed the actress out of her dressing room.

"I have no idea," Castle admitted.

Martha guided the group through the labyrinth in the back of the theater until they ended up on the wings of the stage. She went to the center and motioned for Justin to join her. After a gentle shove from his mother, he did. Betty didn't think his eyes could get any bigger.

"So what do you think?" Martha asked.

Justin's wide-eyed gaze went from the orchestra pit to the seats near the rafters. "I was born for this."

The absolute certainty in his voice made Martha smile. "Well, now's your chance."

"To do what?" he asked as she started walk away to join the others.

"To do whatever you want," she replied with a sweeping motion. "The stage is yours."

Justin turned back to the empty theater and with a huge grin began singing "If My Friends Could See Me Now" from _Sweet Charity_.

"You've made his year," a proud Ignacio told Martha.

"His decade," a teary-eyed Hilda corrected. "Thank you so much, Ms. Rodgers."

"Like I always say, 'You don't choose the Theater. The Theater chooses you'," Martha replied sagely. "It's my honor and duty to encourage the chosen few."

"Rick, I can't thank you enough," Betty said as they watched her nephew perform. "I can't remember the last time my family and I have had so much fun."

"It was the least I could do," he assured her.

"Not to get too personal, but have you been able to use anything from the tour?" she asked shyly.

"Well, I've figured out the direction I want to go in," Castle smiled mysteriously. "I don't want to give anything away, but it will be unlike any Derrick Storm novel I've ever written."

ooOoo

Author notes: The _Castle _episode referenced in this chapter is 1.6 "Always Buy Retail."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_Seven Months Later_

It was late by the time Betty returned to her new office. After the long, frustrating day she had, all she wanted to do was go home, have some of her dad's empanadas, take a nice hot bath and relax.

Waiting on her desk was a box. She viewed the package suspiciously. Ever since she got the promotion and Marc didn't, he had been treating her as badly as he had when she first arrived at _Mode_. Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you, she thought as she gently shook the box. It didn't sound like it contained a dead rat so she carefully opened it. Her eyes lit up when she saw the hardcover copy of the recently released_ Storm Fall_. She took it out and opened the book. He had autographed it for her.

_To Betty,_

_Thank you for being the butterfly in the theory._

_Rick Castle_

With a smile, she put the book in her bag and headed home. On the subway ride back to Queens, Betty thought about all the changes in her life since she had given Rick the tour.

A week after going to the play, her dad had a heart attack. It wasn't long before she moved back to Jackson Heights to help take care of him. After she successfully planned the most talked about show at Fashion Week complete with Christina giving birth on stage, Connor embezzled all of the money from Meade Publications and disappeared. A failed attempt at getting federal funding forced Daniel and Wilhelmina to use their personal funds to keep the company running, but it wasn't enough so they sought outside assistance. In the midst of the corporate intrigue, Christina discovered that the baby she had carried wasn't Bradford and Wilhelmina's but in fact was hers and Stuart's. The new family moved back to Scotland. Not to be outdone, Daniel got married to Connor's ex-fiancée and was widowed shortly thereafter when Molly died of cancer. Mrs. Meade found a second chance at love with Cal Hartley who saved the company while his son, Matt, Betty's ex-boyfriend now boss tortured her in her new position as _Mode_'s associate features editor.

My life really is a soap opera, she sighed as she got off at her stop.

ooOoo

It was very early Saturday morning by the time Betty finished the book. Armed with a box of tissue, she sniffed her way through the last chapter. As she read the acknowledgements she could hear Rick's voice in her head:

_\\Have you ever had an epiphany? A crystal clear moment of clarity where everything just clicked into place. The catalyst for such things can be as significant as the birth of your first child or as mundane as a casual conversation over coffee._

_For me, it was a simple question innocently asked by a new friend. At first, I tried to brush it off, but it wormed its way into my psyche until I could think of nothing else. After confessing to a close confidante, everything suddenly came into focus._

_I was left with a choice. I could go down the familiar path I had taken many times before, or I could take a chance and explore a new one. The road had many twists and turns and would not end well for our hero, but ultimately I believe it was the right decision._

_There are several people that I must thank. On the top of the list are my daughter, Alexis, for being the eye in the storm, and my mother, Martha Rodgers for reminding me that sometimes you've got to go all in._

_Thanks to Gina Cowell and the people at Black Pawn Publishing for accepting the manuscript and not taking a contract out on my life._

_A special thanks to B.S. for asking the question in the first place._

_To you, dear reader, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for joining me on the twenty book journey. I only hope that you had as much fun reading them as I had writing them._

_Finally, eternally thanks to Derrick Storm. Rest in peace, my friend._

_RC/_

The End

Author notes: The _Ugly Betty_ episodes reference in this chapter are 4.1 "The Butterfly Effect, Part 1", 3.11 "Dress for Success", 3.12 "Sisters on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", 3.15 "There's No Place Like Mode", 3.16 "Things Fall Apart", 3.17 "Sugar Daddy", 3.21 "The Born Identity", 3.22 "In the Stars" and "3.24 "The Fall Issue". In determining the number of books in the Derrick Storm series, I used the pilot episode of _Castle_ where he mentions he wrote six novels prior to the Derrick Storm series and 1.9 "Little Girl Lost" where he mentions he had written 26 books.


End file.
